According to the Associated Press, a 16-year-old boy is currently
in custody for allegedly stealing law enforcement weapons as the
FBI continues an internal investigation into the matter. A
relative of the boy reportedly delivered the guns to the Lawrence
police department around 2:30 a.m. Friday morning.

No details were provided on the case. Both the FBI and Andover
police would only confirm that the guns had been returned.

FBI officials said the rifles were stolen sometime between
Wednesday night and early Thursday morning. The guns – a Colt
M16-A1 Rifle and an HS Precision Pro-Series 2000 Sniper Rifle –
were inside a vehicle parked in one of Andover’s residential
neighborhoods.

As the Boston Globe reported, FBI officials said the SWAT vehicle
was not in the neighborhood as part of any operation or
investigation. The bureau declined to release the identity of the
agent in charge of the vehicle.

The incident has raised questions concerning whether or not
keeping the weapons in the car was in line with the agency's
storage guidelines. The chief counsel for the FBI’s Boston
division, Damon Katz, told the Globe, “It is allowed with
proper authorization and following proper methodology, so it’s a
case-by-case basis.” However, he wouldn’t comment on this
particular situation.

General rules outlined by the Boston police department dictate
that if weapons are ever stored in a car, they should be placed
in a locked container that cannot be accessed by unauthorized
individuals. Police have generally referred questions regarding
the case to the FBI.